Students from Jason Denzer’s Red Cricket class at Woodson Kindergarten Center gather in an open area that Denzer hopes to build a greenhouse in the future. Woodson is asking the public to help secure a $10,000 or $20,000 grant from Seeds of Change. -- Eric Johnson

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Woodson asks to grow greenhouse; Kindergarten center up for $10K, $20K grants to fund new greenhouse

Woodson Kindergarten Center is asking for the community’s help to earn grant money for a potential greenhouse.

The kindergarten school is among about 1,000 schools competing for a $10,000 or $20,000 grant from Seeds of Change, the seed company. Kindergarten staff are asking the community to help vote in an online poll to make Woodson’s potential greenhouse one of the top projects up for consideration.

“It would help us hit every science standard we have,” said kindergarten teacher Jason Denzer. He was one of two teachers to sign up for the grant last month, though he and other teachers have wanted to use the small, enclosed space between the new wing of Woodson and the rest of the school.

Denzer and others got the idea to put a greenhouse in that new space after the wing was built.

“Why don’t we use that as a learning space for students?” he said.

Teachers are in the beginning stages of planning for a greenhouse, though Denzer said Woodson had secured about $2,000 in grant money from the Austin Public Education Foundation. First, contractors would pour concrete to create a floor in the greenhouse space, then the structure would be built after that. Denzer said the project could cost about $4,000 in total, but the grant money from Seeds of Change could go toward improving the greenhouse by offering students the opportunity to study things like termites, butterflies and more.

“The more money we get, the nicer we can make our greenhouse for the children,” he said.

To that end, Woodson staff want people to visit www.seedsofchangegrant.com and vote for the school’s project to receive one of two $20,000 grants or one of 15 $10,000 grants. Schools and organizations who place among the top 50 highest voted projects will be up for consideration.

The voting period ends on April 21, though residents can vote once per day. Still, Woodson staff are excited for the possibilities a greenhouse could offer to students.

“This would be the most wonderful thing for students on so many levels,” paraprofessional Lisa Prehn said. “Some of our students don’t have a chance to work with soil and plants so this would be a great opportunity for them.”